The ‘Commands’ prevailed in first leg Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund Three-Year-Old Colt & Gelding Trots with victories by Solo Command and Triple Command in $20,000 divisions while 82-1 Sand Top Gun was longshot winner of the $23,000 Open Handicap Trot.
Jim Morand sent Solo Command right to the front and had little trouble en route to a 1:59.1 victory in his $20,000 DSBF prelim. The CR Commando-Solo Act colt, who is owned by Morand and Nanticoke Racing, won for the fourth time in her brief career. Dingys Boy, the public choice driven by Bryan Truitt, was second with Security Breach, after recovering from a mis-step, rallying for Carlo Poliseno to finish third.
Ross Wolfenden drove Triple Command into the lead at the half-mile post and then rolled on to a 1:58.2 triumph in the second $20,000 trot. Richard Lombardo and trainer Josh Green own the CR Commando-Triple T Carmel sophomore, who won the $100,000 two-year-old final back in November. Royal Briefing, the early leader for Art Stafford Jr., was second with a fast-closing Hit And Run and Morand third.
The second and final leg of the DSBF sophomore colt pace is set for next Wednesday. The top eight-point getters qualify for a $100,000 final on April 10.
While track record-holding senior trotter Hes Spooky (Jonathan Roberts) and Anders Bluestone (Ross Wolfenden) waged a head-to-head war from the clubhouse turn until reaching the top of the stretch, Vic Kirby and Sand Top Gun began an assault at the leaders on the final turn. The Conway Hall-Top Chip gelding came four-wide and then flew past the battling front trotters to score a 1:53.4 victory, equalling his lifetime mark, and paid his supporters to the tune of $166.40 for a $2 win ticket. Vince Copeland kept Cash On Delivery close from the start and finished second. Anders Bluestone came out of a group of challengers with a third-place finish.
Helane and Harold Solomon and Steve Moss own Sand Top Gun, who is trained by Leigh Raymer of the Ty Raymer Stable. The eight-year-old has now won $401,865 in his career.
The Raymer Stable also had another winner -- NF Happenstance, also driven by Kirby, earned his third straight victory with a 1:56.1 effort in a $10,000 4&5-Year-Old trot.
Red-hot driver Vic Kirby completed the program with four wins.
Three $20,000 DSBF divisions for three-year-old pacing colts and the $30,000 Delaware Special and $24,000 Open headline Thursday racing.
(With files from Dover Downs)